


Strange and mystical lands

by outlawed_to_the_stars



Series: Short Stories [4]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Modern Era, supernatural/fantasy elements, there's a weird box in the shed and the kids open it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-23
Updated: 2020-05-23
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:21:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24338821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/outlawed_to_the_stars/pseuds/outlawed_to_the_stars
Summary: The most important rule for Brooke and Nick was this: 'No matter what you do, do not go into the shed.' So, naturally, Nick ropes in Brooke to explore the shed. Once inside, they discover an ancient chest with the words 'All who open this chest shall be transported to strange and mystical lands. Heed these words.' carved onto the side. Will they do what the chest says, or will they find out more about the strange and mystical lands?
Series: Short Stories [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1753738





	Strange and mystical lands

**Author's Note:**

> I don't think this one has any triggers, but if you find one or if something triggers you, let me know and I'll tag it/add it

"Sooo...do you remember that really old chest in the shed that we were explicitly told to _never_ get too close to under any circumstances?" Nick sidled over to Brooke on the sofa.

".....I don't like where this is going." she replied, sighing and rolling her eyes at him.

"C'mon. We could at least check it out!"

"But Leo said..."

"Forget what Leo said! When does he ever look out for us?" Brooke considered this fact for a few seconds, then caved, sighing again. She got up off the sofa and they both ran out into the garden to the shed.

"Crap. It's locked..." Brooke said, half-grateful that they couldn't get in.

"When has a lock ever stopped me?" Nick said, Brooke already know that the answer was never.

Nick took out a couple of his lock picking tools and leant down. The lock sprung free in a matter of seconds. Brooke folded their arms and pursed her lips. There were times when she definitely wondered why she ever hung around Nick.

"You know you really shouldn't go around announcing that you can do that." Brooke berated Nick as he lifted the latch and opened the door triumphantly.

"Oh well...If you got it, show it off."

"Is that what you say about everything?" Brooke retorted.

They both walked into the shed and waved away the dust hanging in the air. Despite there not being any light coming into the shed - Leo boarded up the windows without explanation - there seemed to be a strange glow being emitted from the old chest in the corner.

They looked at each other...waiting for the other to make a move...until Nick stepped forwards and grabbed the leather handle on the end and dragged it to the centre of the already cramped shed.

He straightened up again and they both stared at the chest. It was covered in dust and looked about 200-years-old. It was made of dark wood and there were metal details all over it, probably to keep it from falling apart.

"How long do you think it's been here?" Nick whispered.

"No idea..." Brooke whispered back.

They circled the chest, slowly and moving in opposite directions, until they returned to their starting points.

"What's that?" Nick asked, pointing to a small metal plate near the bottom.

"Dunno." Brooke crouched down to inspect it.

It read, _"All who open this chest shall be transported to strange and mystical lands. Heed my words."_

She stood up again and looked at Nick for some sort of answer.

When nothing came, she said, "We shouldn't open it. We should just go back inside before we get caught. Remember what Leo--"

"When have I ever listened to what Leo - or any authority figure, for that matter - has said?" he said.

"Never! And look what that got you!" Brooke thought that Nick was going to interrupt her, but when he didn't even open his mouth, Brooke decided to continue.

"Six months in juvie, to be precise. We shouldn't do it. I'm going back inside." She shook her head.

"Fine! Go! I don't care."

Brooke clenched her jaw, balled her fists and strode out of the shed; but she whipped around again when she heard Nick hacking at the thick padlock with a spade.

"Nick!" She shouted. He stopped. They looked each other in the eye, a silent stand-off in the garden.

Then, not breaking eye contact, he leant down and started hacking at the lock again.

She started to run back to Nick in the shed, but by the time she'd got to him, he'd broken the lock and pried the lid half open.

She tried the slam the lid back down, but it resisted her.

"What the..." She grunted, pushing down even harder, until it burst open and she jumped back.

They cried out when a column of bright white light exploded out of the chest and air swirled around the shed, despite there being no wind outside at all. The air picked up dust and a load of dry leaves and sent them whirling around.

"What the hell is that?" Nick yelled over the noise of the gale.

"I told you we shouldn't open it! But did you listen? No! Because you never listen! And it always falls to me to make sure you don't get caught and arrested over and over again!" Brooke yelled at Nick. She was always so frustrated at him, but she couldn't stay angry at him, especially if this chest would be the end of them.

"Brooke?! What's happening?" She'd heard him say something, but she was focused intently on the chest, so when she looked at him, she jumped.

He had been lifted a couple of inches in the air and was hovering next to her. Just floating.

She grabbed onto his arm to pull him back down, when she too lifted off the ground and they were pulled towards the chest.

"Nick!" Brooke shouted, she was petrified to her core.

Nick tried to reply, but his blood ran cold and his throat closed up with panic. This was completely different to anything he'd ever experienced before. He could handle fights. He could handle juvie. He could handle Leo yelling at him. But this...he couldn't handle this.

They grabbed each other's hands when they felt themselves being sucked into the chest and screamed as they fell into the chest and came out the other side.

They thumped onto soft green grass and saw the bright blue sky above them, completely different to the place they'd come from.

Nick stood up first and helped Brooke to her feet, checking each other for any injuries.

They were both fine, and when they looked around them, Brooke said, "So this is what it meant by strange and mystical lands..."

Nick nodded, breathing hard. He swallowed, looking around and not seeing anything familiar... 

"Do you think we can get out of here?"

"I have no idea..."


End file.
